1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to support mechanisms for rocker-recliner chairs, and in particular to such support mechanisms which include rear blocking means for preventing rocking when shifted out of a retracted state and into an intermediate or fully extended state.
2. The Prior Art
Support mechanisms for rocker-recliner chairs are well known and generally include a base which is positionable on a flooring surface, left and right rocker cams positioned on the base, and a support assembly mounted on the rocker cams, the support assembly supporting the sides, backrest, seat and legrest of a chair and being shiftable between a retracted state, a partially extended state and a fully extended state to thereby enable the chair to convert between an upright condition, a partially reclined condition and a fully reclined condition. The support mechanism includes means to prevent rocking of its support assembly relative to the base when the support assembly is shifted out of its retracted state.
A support mechanism used in many rocker-recliner chairs currently available in the marketplace is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,754. This mechanism includes a rocker assembly mounted on rocker cams that are rockable on the rails of a base, the rocker assembly including recliner mechanisms at each side mounted on respective rocker cams, each recliner mechanism including a rocker blocker assembly that includes a link pivotally attached to the base and a landing roller which, when the associated rocker blocker assembly is articulated with the shifting of the rocker assembly out of a retracted state, will be lowered into contact with an associated rail of the base. The rollers, together with the associated link pivotally attached to the base, prevents rocking of the rocker assembly relative to the base.
However, if the rocker blocker assembly is constructed too tightly, such that its links cannot pivot freely relative to one another, the rocking of the rocker mechanism when in a retracted state will be inhibited. On the other hand, if the rocker blocker assembly is too loosely constructed, the rear portion of each recliner mechanism can laterally “wander,” and if the wandering becomes too pronounced, the roller can fail to contact the intended landing area on the associated base rail. If the rollers should descend so as to miss the rail entirely, the support assembly will become racked and possible failure of the entire support mechanism is likely. In addition, the backrest mounting brackets of the rocker mechanisms are not directly supported by the rollers and thus are only supported by the seat mounting brackets, whose rear end portions must be constructed to be wide and thick to withstand the stresses placed thereon by the sometimes forceful rearward pivoting of the backrest mounting brackets when an occupant of the chair applies strong backward force on the backrest to force the chair into its fully reclined condition.
The object of the present invention is to provide a support mechanism for a rocker recliner chair which will avoid the drawbacks noted above, including the wandering of the rear ends of the linkage subassemblies at each side of the support assembly and which will provide firm support for its backrest mounting bracket when the support assembly is in a partially or fully extended state while eliminating the need for an enlarged construction of the seat mounting brackets.